Smoker&#39;s article



Patented Nov. 5, v1946 UNITED` STATES PATENLY FFICE p l 2,410,487 Y', Y SMOKERS ARTICLE l Erie W. Eweson, New York, Nfr.- t, Application January 25, 1944,l serial Nol` '519,673

Claims.

This invention relates to a smokers article, particularly to a tray for holding cigarettes and cigars, and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

A particular object is to provide a support adapted to hold a cigarette with a gripping action and which will automatically extinguish it when it has burned back to the gripping elements.

Another object is to provide a holder having a Wide horizontal groove for supporting a cigar or cigarette and for directing a cigarette into a gripped or snuing position in a smaller and deeper groove at the end of the larger groove.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a smokers tray embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section and elevation taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

A plurality of holders I0 may be provided on an ash and stub receiving tray I2 of any suitable material and form. One convenient arrangement is to have a plurality of holders spaced around the rim I 4 of the tray. Or the holder, single or duplex, may be provided Within the rim I4 where any stubs falling out will drop within the tray and not outside. Or the holders may be provided both inside and o-n the rim, as shown.

Each holder is formed with a horizontal shelf or ledge I6, preferably grooved on a large radius to take cigars as well as cigarettes. In Fig. 2 a cigar is shown in the grooved ledge of the holder on the left side. Cigars are generally self-extinguishing and do not require special precautions to prevent them from falling 01T the holder after burning. Cigarettes, however, tend to remain burning even beyond the edge of a support on which they merely rest and this will result in their falling oi the support and causing re or damage to furnishings. Besides, a self-burning or selfsmoking cigarette makes an objectionable odor.

For holding and extinguishing cigarettes a second and smaller groove I8 istherefore provided at the bottom of the large groove I6 and at one end thereof. The smaller groove in elevation is formed somewhat-in the shape of a broadly truncated V or in the shape of a L! with diverging sides and of a size to grip and hold a burning cigarette when placed therein with a slight pressure in a slanting position, as shown on the right side of Fig. 2, or to wedge the burning end of a cigarette which is pushed more or less vertically therein, as shown in the center of Figs. 2 and 3, to snuff it. The bottom of the small groove is open and slightly rounded and sloping on an arc from the bottom of the large groove to the bottom and outer end of the small groove. By continued pushing a cigarette may thus be made to clean the groove after the glow has been extinguished. In any event, the ashes will drop out of the steepbottomed groove by gravity and any succeeding cigarette Will push out the stub of any preceding cigarette which may be wedged in the groove.

It is very easy to introduce a cigarette into the small groove inasmuch as the curved shape of the large groove, intended primarily for cigars, serves as a guide for placing a cigarette into the small groove. When, for instance, a cigarette is lying horizontally in the large groove it needs but a slight pressing touch with a iinger and the cigarette will be gripped and held along its length in a sloping position by the small groove, where it will burn for a time, as sometimes desired, but will be extinguished when it has burned 'rack to the gripping edges of the groove. Moreover, when snulng o-ut a cigarette by placing it vertically in the small groove, one needs but to aim for the large groove, the shape of which guides the cigarette end into the small groove.

As the drawing clearly shows, in this embodiment event the lowermost portion of the small groove is located at a considerable height above the ash receiving bottom of the tray, so high in fact, that when a full length cigarette is wedged centrally in the groove its lower end does not touch the bottom of the tray.

The combination of the two grooves is therefore important. If a cigarette extinguishing device is to be practical it must not only be simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture, but the device must be pro-vided in such a manner as to Y make a smoker-notably a cigarette smokerinstinctively aware of its availability and purposes the moment he puts his cigarette down on the ash tray. The present invention meets these requirements in a special manner.

While one embodiment of the invention has been specically described by Way of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments Within the limits of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims..

I claim:

1. A smokers article comprising a support having a horizontal groove of a size to receive and hold a cigar, said support having a small groove at one end of and within the large groove of a size to grip a cigarette, the small groove in end elevation having the shape of a truncated V, and the large groove having an extended portion which is not touched by the small groove.

. 2. A smokers article comprising a support having a horizontal groove of a size to receive and hold a cigar, said support having a small groove at one end of and within the large groove of a size to grip a cigarette, the small groove in end elevation having the' shape of a truncated V and having its bottom -sloping upwardly in an upwardly concave arc from the outer end to the inner end in the bottom of the large groove, and the large groove having an extended portion which is not touched by the small groove.

and also a small groove in the inner end only of the large groove, the small groove being of a size to grip a cigarette, being open at the inner end and having an inclined bottom and inner end wall of increasing width from bottom to top.

4. A smokers article comprising a tray having a raised edge and a, raised interior member, said member having a large transverse groove and a smaller truncated V-shaped groove in the bottom yof one end only of the large groove opening to the end of the larger groove.

5. A smokers article comprising a tray having a raised edge and a raised interior member, said 3. A smokers article comprising. a 'tray having a raised edge, said edge having a transverse grooved ledge at the top of a size to hold a cigar member having a large transverse groove of a size to hold a cigar and at each end of the large groove having a smaller groove of a size to grip a cigarette.

" ERIC W. EWESON. 

